Bittersweet
by SeagullandCroissant
Summary: Of all the things Jacob Kowalski expected to happen when he woke up that morning, realizing a deadly parasite was growing inside him because he was unknowingly a wizard with suppressed magic, wasn't one of them.
1. Chapter 1: The Reason We Wear Helmets

_**Chapter 1: The Reason We Wear Helmets**_

Hiding behind a pillar, he admitted that the thing Newt had in his case looked bigger up close. With a large luminescent horn and an even larger body, the creature, which he had heard Newt call an Erumpent, knocked down the iron gate to the hippo enclosure and made its way inside. Diving behind pillars and brick rubble, Jacob and his new wizarding companion, Newt Scamander, kept their distance from the Titian as it approached an understandably frightened hippopotamus, confusing the smaller creature for one of her own. Newt, digging in his pockets, produced a rather large vial, the corkscrew lid opening with a slight pop.

"What's _that?"_ Jacob asked in a hoarse whisper, absentmindedly fumbling with the chinstrap of the helmet his companion provided.

"Erumpent musk- she's positively mad for it," Newt explained, dabbing a few drops on the inside of his wrists. "Let's hope it works."

The ginger haired man, with a faint smile on his face, closed the lid and handed the bottle of smelling liquid to Jacob without saying another word, the aspiring baker fumbling with the object in his clammy hands. Incredulous, Jacob watched as Newt walked towards the Erumpent without any sign of fear before he set down his beloved case at his side and opened it slowly.

Without warning, an odd sound split the air like a whip, the No-Maj jumping and causing the vial of Erumpent musk to slip slightly in his short fingers. With wide eyes, Jacob Kowalski could only watch as Newt performed a type of jig that he couldn't quite place and quickly realized that the strange sound brutally assaulting his eardrums was coming from no other than Newts open mouth. He stifled his laughter at the performance, trying to keep the Erumpent's attention on Newt, who seemed to be winning her over with his courtship calls and dancing. With a crooked smile, Jacob looked down at the black bottle and wondered what the Erumpent musk smelled like if it was able to attract a creature such as that. Uncorking the vial, the dark haired man sniffed the edge of the bottle, then pinched his nose and turned away.

 _Disgusting!_ He thought as his eyes watered at the smell, _How can_ anything _be attracted to that?_

At that moment, something fast and hard smacked Jacob on the back of his head. With a cry of surprise, his hands flew up to fend off the next attack and in the process the bottle of musk slipped out of Jacob's hand and landed on the ground, shattering on contact with the icy cement. He turned to glare at the culprit: a seal who had just escaped his enclosure with the Erumpents rampage through the zoo. At Jacob's side lay the seals weapon of choice: a stinking rotten fish, its dead glassy eyes staring blankly into New Yorks cloudy sky. Barking, the seal quickly scampered away, disrupting a pile of broken bricks in his mad dash for safety.

Still confused as to what had occurred, Jacob turned back to Newt, only to find that the Erumpent was now looking intently at him from across the opening, mist sprouting from flared nostrils. With a small squeal of unbridled fear, Jacob turned and ran from the spot, the heavy tread of the Erumpent following in close pursuit.

Still screaming, the No-Maj baker dashed through the demolished buildings, the following Erumpent disrupting the rubble with her over-sized horn even more. He ran through the fallen arch of what used to be the entrance and out into the falling snow, the white power sinking in up to his knees. He stumbled along, waiting for the creature to catch him from behind until his foot caught on a root and he tripped unceremoniously face-first into the snow. With a grunt, he rolled over in time to see the Erumpent bearing down on him, huge feet throwing up fistfuls of fresh snow. Jacob threw his hands over his head in a final act of self-defense, knowing that he was about to become the world's largest Jacob-shaped pancake in a single step.

However, to his surprise, Jacob Kowalski felt nothing. After a moment of letting the snow seep through his thin suit, he quickly realized that he wasn't dead and shakily lowered his hands.

He felt his jaw go slack. There, high above his head, was the Erumpent floating effortlessly off the ground, legs still waving as it passed slowly overhead. It gently floated over him and landed on the other side of him with a tremendous thud, making Jacob sit up with a yelp and a start. Blinking at the snowflakes clinging on his eyelashes, Jacob spotted Newt standing at what once was the entrance to the zoo, gently lowering his wand.

"Great job, Newt!" Jacob called to his friend, brushing off the cold power that clung to his leather padding.

Newt nodded nervously, offering Jacob a shaking smile. "You, too, Jacob. You too..."

* * *

Newt tried not to think about the incident again after that, letting Jacob believe that he, Newt Scamander, had levitated the Erumpent in Central Park, ultimately saving Jacob's life.

But Newt knew better than that.

Time passed in a blur, and before they knew it, Jacob, Queenie, Tina and himself were standing in the rubble of one of New York's many subway stations, the ceiling of the tunnel blasted away to reveal the lingering stars in the night. Everything, it seemed, was an absolute mess. MACUSA hadn't listened to his words and in turn, the Obscurus and Credence had been destroyed, along with most of New York City in their warpath.

The magical leaders and the quartet stood in the ruined train station, watching the gentle rain fall, no doubt washing away the No-Majs' memories of the wizarding community on the street above.

After repairing the roof to the subway with a flick of her wand, Madam Picquery turned to the motley quartet in front of her.

"Is that No-Maj still here?" She asked in a loud and firm voice.

Everyone turned to look as Jacob stepped from behind Queenie and raised a shaking hand in greeting.

"Obliviate him." Madam Picquery ordered as she turned, "There can be no witnesses."

"Actually, Madam," Newt began, but Picquery raised a hand, interrupting him.

"No exceptions, Mr. Scamander."

"If you would please just listen for a moment, Madam-."

"I will not hear it, Scamander."

"But, if you _please_ just-."

"I'm sorry, but his No-Maj has-."

" _Jacob_ ** _isn't_** _a No-Maj!_ "

The silence of the subway was deafening as every witch and wizard turned to look at Newt before gazing at the now wide-eyed Jacob behind him.

"Mr. Scamander, what do you mean?" Picquery inquired, her eyes flickering between the two, "Tina herself said that he possessed no magical abilities."

"He doesn't," Tina said, giving Newt a firm look, "Jacob Kowalski is a No-Mag. Simple as that."

"He _didn't,_ " Newt corrected her. "Not until he was helping me to re-capture my Erumpent in Central Park."

"Newt," Jacob said, taking a hesitant step forward in their direction, "What are you talkin' about? I didn't use magic. I don't even have a wand."

Newt, however, ignored his argument, stepping closer to the President of MACUSA. "Madam, just before the Erumpent could step on him, Jacob Kowalski levitated the creature over his head, setting her down safely on the other side of him. This, it seems to me, is a display of accidental magic, the kind a wizard makes when displaying their powers for the first time."

"Newt." Jacob murmured, swallowing the lump gathering at the Presidents weighted gaze, "I saw with my own eyes when you lowered your wand. You levitated the Er-Eee-Erump-what it's..."

"No, Jacob." Newt murmured, taking a hold of Jacob's shoulder, "That was _you_."

* * *

In no time it seemed, Picquery had called a conference with all of the Ministers from around the world for, annoyingly, the second time that week. Most of the witches and wizards were all askew, each barely having an enough time to pull themselves out of bed and ultimately, together. The room was fairly loud and busy, the men and women bustling and buzzing with anticipation before Picquery, cool, collected and confident as ever, hit her gavel against the podium, calling the meeting to order.

"Why are we all here... _again?_ " The Norwegian Minister for Magic was the first to speak. "Didn't we just end this problem?"

Tina shifted uncomfortably at the implications of the wizard and her hands momentarily shifted to her wand only for Newt, lips pressed to take her hand in his own and shake his head.

"We have taken care of that Obscurus, Minister," said Picquery, quieting the growing whispers from the gathered crowd, "but it seems we may have uncovered a... _second_ one."

"Another Obscurus?" Chimed in the Ugandan Minister as the voices rose again, "Where is it?"

"It is here in this room," Picquery continued, headpiece glimmering in the candlelight. Her eyes shifted to the back of the room, where four wooden chairs were placed, each occupied by a nervous man or woman.

"Jacob Kowalski, please, step forward."

At the sound of her voice and the rustling of robes as the people turned, Jacob's dark eyes widened, and he looked at Newt and Queenie, who were sitting on either side of him. Queenie gave him a sad smile and motioned for him to step towards the center of the room with an encouraging nod. Clearing his throat and straightening his suit, Jacob stood and made his way to the center of the council's room and, ultimately, the center of attention.

"Jacob Kowalski," the President started, loud enough for all to hear, "did you knowingly perform magic in Central Park this night?"

"No, I- of course not!" Jacob stumbled, face growing hot. "I didn't even know that I could do magic!"

"I see," Picquery murmured, shifting the papers in her hands. "And has anything... _unusual_ ever happened to you before, Mr. Kowalski? Something you couldn't explain?"

After a moment, Jacob shook his head. " _Never_ , Minister."

Whispers and muttering surrounded him and Madam Picquery raised her hands for silence to return to the floor, "Mr. Kowalski, it is my belief that you have, unknowingly, suppressed your magical abilities and have developed an Obscurus. The only question now," she continued, ignoring the growing voices and the sudden loss of color in Jacob's face, "is what to do with you."

Newt started to stand, but Tina dragged him back down by the edge of his blue coat.

"Sit down!" she hissed, eyes dark, "You'll only make it worse!"

"We have only one option," Picquery proclaimed, after the voices died again, "we must remove the Obscurus by force."

"Removing it by force would destroy him!" Newt burst out, before Tina could stop him. He marched to stand in front of Jacob, "By now, the Obscurus is likely to be very powerful, and will not be willing let go of Jacob so easily. To get the Obscurus out in such a way, we would have to destroy _both_ the Obscurus and the Obscurial." He paused, "There is only one way to safely remove the Obscurus. Gradually."

"And how do you suppose we go about that, Mr. Scamander?"

"To gradually remove the Obscurus, Jacob Kowalski must be taught in the ways of magic."

Suddenly, the room exploded in a burst of sound. Loud shouts rang across the room as every Minister began speaking at once, arguing with Newts new proposition with each other. Picquery had to bang her gavel onto the desk several times to regain order.

"We will take a vote," she said. "All in favor of teaching Mr. Kowalski magic, in the hopes of lessening the Obscurus to be removed?"

Newt, Tina, and Queenie raised their wands the highest and were soon followed by about half of the Ministers in the room.

"All in favor of removing the Obscurus by force?"

The other half raised their wands high above their heads, each staring at the aspiring baker with red faces and narrowed eyes.

After counting, Picquery clapped her hands together, giving the ensemble a plastic and strained smile, "Very well. It seems we have a tie. I propose a compromise. Someone, a skilled witch or wizard, preferably, will take it upon themselves to teach Mr. Kowalski magic in hopes of diminishing the Obscurus. They will have one year in which to teach Mr. Kowalski all of the magic he needs to know to survive in the wizarding world." She surveyed the congregation. "Are there any volunteers for this task?"

Silence dominated the room for several moments, before one shrill voice rang out, "I will teach Jacob!"

Jacob could have cried with relief, for the voice, he quickly realized, was Newts. The freckled magizoologist briefly looked over his shoulder, shooting Jacob a soft and reassuring smile.

"And I," added Queenie stepping forward and taking Jacob's hand in her own. He looked at her, cheeks rosy and under her golden locks, she peered back at him, smiling.

"Very well," Picquery said, eyes flickering briefly over the pairs silent exchange, "We will have an Auror accompany you to send reports to MACUSA on Jacob's... _condition_."

"I will volunteer," Tina said immediately, heels clicking against the tile, "If this pleases you, Madam." She added afterward, drawing a bit from her boss' intense gaze.

"Very well. If there are no objections...?" She waited for a beat, tapping her manicured nails on the podium. At the silence, she nodded, waving her wand above her head, summoning parcel and a pen. "Then Mr. Scamander and the Goldsteins will teach Mr. Kowalski magic within a year from today, December 6th, 1926."

"What if we don't make the year mark?" Jacob asked, softly, his voice almost drowned out by the rustling from the wizards in the room.

President Picquery, golden headpiece glittering as she tilted her head, gave the quartet of young witches and wizards a thin, icy smile, "That's when we would step in, of course..."

Her eyes roamed the crowd of witches and wizards in an almost challenging way as the quick-write spell on the new document finished, gazing down at Jacob once more, "I speak for all of the Ministers of the Wizard World when I tell you: Good luck, Mr. Kowalski."

And with that, Picquery banged her gavel thrice against the desk, the baker already feeling the sand of his hourglass falling heavily on his head.


	2. Chapter 2: Like a Wizard in a Wand Shop

_**Chapter 2: Like a Wizard in a Wand Shop**_

To Newt, the sight of bustling and buzzing ports was something he was used to. Screeching gulls, guano covered posts and bustling people were what came with docks and ships and travelling. Walking down the platform, he listened to the air shaking with excitement around him. Countless people, young and old, were milling about London's freighter port, each trying to find their bags and get on their way - away from the ship they'd called home for little less than a week.

With the clock ticking down, the group of friends, along with their newly discovered wizard ally, discussed where to start on their journey, with more disagreements, it seemed, than agreements. After hours of Newt and Tina arguing on end on where to purchase Jacobs supplies ("We have perfectly good shops here in New York!") and, most important, his wand ("Ollivander's wands are the best in the wizarding world!"). Jacob, having no say-so in the matter of the best wizarding shops, could only watch helplessly from the end of the kitchen table as his life was juggled around for him, glad that Queenie hadn't stopped holding his hand since they left the congress room of MACUSA.

The tie between Newt and Tina was broken by Queenie agreeing with Newt to travel to London as soon as they could, where they would purchase everything Jacob would need for the learning journey ahead and, quite possibly, escape the worst of MACUSA's uninvited eye. Escaping the confides of New York City, she quietly agreed, would be best for all of them, including Jacob. After the shopping plans were settled, Newt brought up the suggestion of staying in the case with him to continue to care for his animals and be sure another _incident_ wouldn't occur on their trip to London. Unanimously, they all agreed and wasted no time in gathering all the scrap wood they could find and stuffed them in Newt's case, creating a makeshift home where Frank, the thunderbird, used to nest. With planks of scrapped wood, Newt cleared and rearranged the pen to accompany his friends, Queenie and Tina, and modified the current shack for his assistant and magic apprentice, Jacob Kowalski. The new building was simple, right across from Newt's shack, with two hammocks for both Queenie and Tina to sleep in. A small bathroom with running water was to the back of the one-bedroom apartment and a woodburning fireplace offered warmth and light to the small space. The Shack's bedroom area was rearranged to fit Jacob, getting a cozy spot of his own and consisted of all of his beloved belongings: an old iron bed, a scrubbed dresser and a fading picture of his grandmother, hanging on his side of the wall.

Scrapping together all the Muggle money they had, they were able to purchase a last minute ticket on the next freighter out of New York. The Goldstein sisters and Kowalski lowered themselves into the case while Newt, with a smile, purchased his ticket.

Although it was a grand adventure full of Muggle pool tables, cool drinks, and watching the golden sunsets dance across the waves, Newt Scamander, along with Tina, Queenie and Jacob, had their fair share of fun on the passenger ship and were more anxious at the end of the week to reach their destination: London.

Slipping by a few groups of people milling about the cobblestone street, Newt was almost knocked to the cobblestone as a small group pushed their way past him. Several men, all varying in size and suit, strolled hurriedly past, holding a camera and notebook in each hand. The group of rushing men wouldn't have bothered the magizoologist too much, except that every one of the men had his tie knotted in a large bow, the ends of the cloth hanging heavily around their necks.

Wizards, Newt realized with a start, without the knowledge of Muggle fashion, were wandering the port and, from the looks of it, were all Daily Prophet reporters. As he looked around, he spotted more and more magic journalists at different stands and shops, each as oddly dressed as the next.

Newt Scamander, hand growing clammy against the case, went through customs as fast as he could and beelined for the nearest ally outside London's port, slipping behind an overflowing trashcan at the mouth of the small space.

"This is going to be harder than I thought," Newt muttered.

After making sure he was indeed alone, he Disapparated, the Leaky Cauldron clear in his mind.

* * *

"Is it always this crowded?" Queenie asked, jumping out of the way as a small hoard of wand-waving eleven-year-olds ran past, shouting and laughing to their hearts content.

"No," Newt replied. "Not always. This is unusually busy." He smiled at Queenie, the witch quietly returning his gesture.

Despite the immense crowd, Newt could tell that Tina and Queenie were glad to be out of the case, the pair of witches absorbing the bustling energy of Diagon Alley. To his relief, he had seen no reporters at the Leaky Cauldron and had given the signal for them to come out. Much to his disappointment, Jacob had been advised to stay inside to avoid possible recognition.

Despite his reassurances, Newt caught Queenie glancing at the case every chance she could.

Newt chuckled, "You'll get us caught if you keep staring at it like that."

Face flushing, she grinned sheepishly, "Are you sure Jacob's okay in there? We haven't heard from him in a while..."

"I'm sure he's fine, Queenie," Newt reassured her, ducking to avoid a low hanging owl cage.

"But what if the Swooping Evil is chasing him?" Queenie persisted, voice low, "I know how agitated it can get sometimes."

Newt briefly flashed the yoyo-like chrysalis of the Swooping Evil from his inside pocket, "The Swooping Evil is right here, and there's nothing else in that case that could harm Jacob. My creatures adore him!"

At this, the latch of the case flipped open. Newt glanced at it, thinking for a moment he had heard a muffled yell, but brushed it aside and closed it, patting the case gently.

"You sure about that?" Tina questioned, her eyebrows raised.

"Positive," Newt responded, nodding back at her behind his unruly red hair.

"It just makes me so nervous," continued Queenie, "Not being able to hear his thoughts through that case."

"Queenie," Newt consoled, taking a hold of her arm, "The sooner we get to Ollivander's, the sooner Jacob can get out."

"And the sooner we can get back to New York," Tina muttered under her breath.

Ignoring her comment, Newt pointed to a shop a few storefronts ahead, "Fortunately, Ollivander's is right there."

The group stepped into the wandshop, and Newt hurried to close the door behind them. The shop was empty save for the old man sitting behind the desk, examining his wands. He looked up as they entered.

"Ah, Mr. Scamander," Ollivander greeted him. "What brings you here on this fine day?"

"Oh, just getting a new wand." Newt replied, walking up to the large counter.

"You didn't break the wand I gave you, did you?" Ollivander asked, adjusting his glasses, "It was a fine wand-."

"No, no." Newt interrupted, holding out a reassuring hand to the aging man, "This is for a friend of mine. His first wand, to be exact."

"Ah, a beginner!" Ollivander chuckled as leaned forward to try to look behind Newt, "And where is the little wizard, hm?"

"Er, in here, actually," Newt explained, patting the case still held firmly in his hand.

"That small?" Ollivander questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Sir, perhaps it would be best if we locked the door?" Tina cut in, hands clasped, "To allow some... _privacy_ when he picks his wand."

Ollivander nodded hesitantly, "If, uh, it's make him feel better I don't see a problem."

Breathing a sigh, Queenie turned to bar the door as Newt knelt down and unlatched the case.

Immediately, a small, hairless, pink blur shot out and launched itself at Newt. Queenie, shrieking, ran to the opposite end of the shop, followed closely by Tina.

"What is that?" Ollivander asked from behind his desk as Newt wrestled with the creature, "Surely not the young wizard?"

"No," Newt grunted, successfully subduing the creature and pinning it to the ground, "That's my murtlap. He's easily excited."

"What about Jacob?" Queenie questioned, looking around to try to spot him.

There was a muffled moan from the case and Newt hurriedly opened it, the girls rushing back over to peer inside. Jacob lay at the bottom of the ladder into Newt's shack. He out of breath and sweaty, his ill-fitting suit askew in the struggle with the creature.

"Jacob! Are you alright?" called Queenie as she peered at Jacob down the steps.

He attempted to grin and gave her a thumbs-up, but the hand fell back at laying at his side and he sighed, turning to Newt. "Why didn't you open the case?"

"You were supposed to knock if you needed anything!"

"I _was_ knocking. I'm surprised you didn't hear me screaming first!"

"Come to think of it, I thought I heard something. But I thought it was just the Occamy again."

"Mr. Scamander, just how many creatures are in that case of yours?" Mr. Ollivander asked as Queenie jumped in to help Jacob up and out of the case.

"A few," Newt replied with a sheepish grin.

"Yeah," Jacob chuffed as he and Queenie emerged from the suitcase, straightening his suit and tie, "Only a _few_."

Jacobs next smart remark, however, was halted as he regained his footing. His eyes widened as he looked at the shelves around him, lined with what he assumed were small and slender shoeboxes.

"W-Where are we?"

"This is Mr. Ollivander's Wandshop." Newt reassured, clapping his hand to Jacob's shoulder, "We've come to get you a wand, remember?"

"A wand?" He asked, simply perplexed.

"Yes," Newt chuckled, "A wizard isn't a wizard without one."

Jacob smiled timidly at Ollivander before taking Newt by the arm, pulling him aside.

"Look - Newt - I ain't got enough money. Heck, we barely had enough for the ride here! How am I gonna pay for a _wand?"_

Newt gave a mischievous wink, "I'll get it for you. You taking care of my creatures is repayment enough. Mr. Ollivander doesn't take Muggle money, anyway. "

Jacob fixed Newt with an odd stare, "So what do wizards use?"

"Come _on_ , Jacob!" Tina interrupted, gesturing towards Ollivander, "Just go get a wand."

Jacob, traces of sweat still on his brow, looked at Ollivander nervously.

Ollivander straightened his glasses and peered intensely at Jacob. "I know you," he said. "I've seen your picture in the newspapers."

Jacob went rigid, panic coursing through his veins. Every possible scenario played over and over in his head.

 _What if he won't sell to us?_

 _What will I do then?_

There was a moment of silence before Ollivander shook his head and smiled, "Some story," he commented before he hopped down from his stool and went into the back of his store.

Jacob looked at Queenie and put a hand over his heart, smiling in relief. She too visibly relaxed and grinned back.

"Let's start with these, shall we?" Ollivander exclaimed as he set a stack of boxes on top of the desk with a loud bang. Newt, Tina, and Queenie sat down on chairs nearby to watch as he unboxed the first wand. "Black walnut, with a core of dragon heartstring. 12 3/4 inches, slightly flexible." Ollivander smiled. "A very handsome wand, sir."

Jacob stared, simply awestuck, at the magical instrument.

Newt cleared his throat, breaking Jacob out of his stupor.

"Oh!" He started, blinking rapidly, "Sorry."

As soon as the wand touched Jacob's hand, every light in the shop exploded with a crack, sending shards of glass flying freely through the air. Everyone ducked, shards scattering like diamonds on the worn wooden floor. Jacob, terrified out of his wits, breathed hard from where he landed on the floor, the ebony wand laying haphardily beside him. He scrambled to his feet, backpedaling away from the instrament. Seeing his panic, Newt crouched to his level, offering Jacob an encouraging smile.

"You're alright." Newt consoled, "Things like this happen when trying out wands."

Ollivander came around the counter and retreaved the wand, returning it to it's box.

"Perhaps, that wasn't the best fit," The old man commented, shoving the box at the top of a pile building on the far side of his desk. He pulled out a few more as Jacob looked at Queenie, eyes wide.

 _"Was that supposed to happen?"_ he comtemplated as they watched the man sort through the tall shelves, pulling out wand after the wand.

 _"Don't worry,"_ He heard the voice of Queenie reassure, soft and warm, _"You're doing great, honey."_

"Let's try this one," Ollivander finally said, opening another black box, "Cherry wood. Unicorn hair core. 13 inches. Rigid."

Hestiantly, Jacob took the wand from the man's withered hands, relieved he didn't blow up the store on contact. He gazed at Ollivander, eyebrows raised.

"Well? Give it a wave!" Ollivander encouraged him.

Jacob obeyed, swishing the wand in the air. He flinched as every drawer in the shop flew out of its cupboard, papers flying everywhere.

"Sorry!" Jacob shouted as the papers formed into paper airplanes and started chasing each other around.

"It's no trouble," Ollivander shouted over the shrieks of Queenie and Tina as the airplanes narrowly missed their heads. "You should have been here for the last child. She flooded the entire store with pumpkin juice!"

Jacob yelped and ducked to the floor as one of the airplanes narrowly missed his head, rushing air disrupting his hair and suit.

Newt pulled out his wand, aiming at the accidental creations, "Immobilus!"

Immediately, all of the papers froze before dropping like flies to the floor, lifeless. With another flick of his wand, the shop was restored as if nothing ever happened.

"Now," Ollivander murmured as he brushed off a stray scrap of paper from his shoulder. "On to the next wand."

Jacob was starting to get nervous. What if he couldn't find a wand? Would he go through the entire shop, only to be turned away? Was this the Obscurial affecting the wands, or was it just him?

"9 1/2 inches," Ollivander was saying. "Apple wood. Unicorn hair core. Rigid."

Jacob hesitated. What catastrophe would he cause this time? A fire? He took a deep breath, then gripped the wand. A warm feeling spread throughout his body; this wand didn't have the cold steeliness the former two had possessed. Instead, holding this wand felt like holding someone's hand... Queenie's hand. It felt...natural.

"It's a perfect match..."

* * *

"You mean to tell me that youse guys sell owls? As pets?"

Newt nodded in Jacob's general direction, scanning the passing crowd.

"They're wonderful messengers, honey." Queenie elaborated with a giggle.

"I always thought witches had black cats," Jacob said.

"Some people prefer cats," Tina admitted. "But owls are a more popular pet these days."

"Huh," Jacob muttered, reaching in to stroke the feathers of a large snowy owl. He stared at it, pensive, "It's funny. I've never seen one this close before."

"I believe that's enough owl-gazing for now," Newt commented, looking rapidly around them. "Don't you think we should visit Madame Malkin's before they close?"

"Madame who?" Jacob asked, confused.

" _Malkin's_ ," Newt repeated. "You need some new robes."

"Oh," Jacob said, regretfully pulling his hand from the owl's cage. The owl hooted softly after him, clicking his beak.

Jacob offered a sympathetic look, "Look, I'd love to take you but we've got enough magical creatures as it is." He paused, "Don't worry, you'll get a good home, little guy."

"I'm sure he will," Queenie said, looping his arm under her own before coaxing him away.

Turning away, he saw there was plenty of activity in the alley; kids were running around on the street on their training brooms and owls swooped overhead, the occasional screech causing Jacob's head to snap up, expecting a collision but, as always, it never happened. They traveled deeper and the crowd grew thicker.

Thankfully, Madam Malkin's Robes Shop wasn't far away.

After getting fitted for robes ("These would look great on you, honey!"), shopping for potions equipment ("Newt, we are _not_ getting the Advanced Potions kit- we won't even be focusing on potion-making!") and supplies to make the case more of a home for Jacob (which Newt shoved into the case before Jacob could look), they headed towards their last shop: Flourish  & Blott's.

Newt breathed a sigh of relief as he walked into the store, the overhead bell tinkling as they entered. Unsurprisingly, the bookstore was busy.

After briefly glancing around, Newt began pulling books off of the shelves and examining them, muttering under his breath. Tina and Queenie looked over his shoulder, offering the titles of the books they had used.

Jacob, caught in a trance, wandered aimlessly about the shop. As he watched he noted how some books seemed to move on their own, turning their pages back and forth while others floated gently from shelf to shelf, organizing themselves by title, author, and size. Still staring overhead, he failed to notice the other customers until he pitched forward, tripping over on of their shoes.

As he landed, Jacob heard a surprised gasp above him. "So sorry about that! Here, let me help you up!"

Blinking back stars, Jacob took the man's offer and was pulled back to his feet.

"Thanks," He said, meeting the stranger's eyes.

The man held a cool gaze that turned icy at the sight of Jacob's face.

"You," he spat, jerking his hand from Jacob's grasp, "I recognize you."

"Oh? From where?" Jacob was shocked by the sudden change in the wizard's tone.

"You're the Muggle with the Obsursis." He growled, wiping his hand on a handkerchief he pulled from his luxurious black robes.

"Well, uh, I'm not a - muggle - anymore. I-I guess I'm a wizard, now."

"You guess?" the blond man hissed, "You should be ashamed of yourself. Endangering us all with your presence."

"Hey!" Jacob retorted, balling his fist, "I'm not hurtin' anyone!"

The mans eyes narrowed, as he gave a snicker, "But, you will, my boy. Given the time."

Jacob felt his face grow hot, "Thanks for the reminder, you dolt. Now, get out of my way before I-!"

Before he could say anything else, Jacob felt something press against his neck and quickly glanced to see the man's black wand pushing hard against his throat.

Panic set in his veins and he thought he could hear the faint voice of Queenie call his name.

"Don't toy with me! I can see what you really are. You're a monster." He leaned in closer, nose almost touching Jacob's, "And monsters like you should be exterminated!"

"Monster or not," came a quiet voice from behind a stack of books, "I would suggest lowering your wand."

Both wizards turned to see a tall lanky man emerging from his place, holding a worn copy of _A History of Magic_ in his left hand.

"Release him," He continued, pocketing his book.

The blonde man glared and instead pressed his wand harder against Jacob's collar, "What would you suggest? That we accept this- this _beast_ with open arms?"

The quiet man raised his eyebrows and smirked, "Well, we accepted you."

The blonde man hmphed. "Well, are going to do something about it? Try to stop me?"

His eyes fluttered knowingly, "No, I won't"

"But, believe me, we will!"

The sound of Newt's voice made Jacob want to cry with relief. He twisted his head to see his friends, behind him, wands raised and at the ready.

The pale man looked between Newt and Jacob, mouth twisted in a grimace.

"The shopkeeper will hear about this!" He scowled, lowering his wand.

"Consider him informed." The lanky man snickered, stepping forward, "Now, get out of my shop."

Without another word, the blonde man sheathed his wand and left the store, slamming the door shut.

Jacob watched as his head disappeared among the sea of people outside before turning to see the Samaritan offering him a small piece of chocolate and a smile.

"Eat it. It'll make you feel better."

"Uh, thanks," Jacob replied, offering a weak smile in return.

"Jacob! Honey, are you okay?" Queenie asked once they were sure the man was indeed gone.

"Yeah, Doll," Jacob breathed, taking a hold of Queenie's hand, "I'm fine."

"Now then," the shopkeeper said, clapping his hands together, "How do you feel about a warm cup of tea?"


End file.
